Solution dispenser



Nov. 20, 1956 H. LAMBERS 2,771,345

SOLUTION DISPENSER Filed July 8, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. Harry Lam bers BY Nov. 20, 1956 H. LAMBERS SOLUTION DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 8, 1953 INVENTOR. Harry Lam bers United States Patent SOLUTION DISPENSER Harry Lambers, Holland, Mich.

Application July 8, 1953, Serial No. 376,488

7 Claims. (Cl. 23-271) This invention relates to the construction of solution dispensers. Broadly speaking, these devices include a container, a removable cover providing access to the container, and inlet and outlet conduits terminating within the interior of the container. Either solid or liquid material may be placed within the container; and water or some other fluid is admitted through the inlet conduit and is caused to mix with the contents of the container. The resulting solution is permitted to pass outwardly through the outlet conduit, preferably under the control of suitable valve means.

This invention provides an improvement in the construction of these devices, and is directed primarily at an arrangement of nozzles providing the inner extremity of the inlet means, and to the relationship between the jets established by the nozzles and a filter unit positioned at the inner extremity of the outlet conduit. The purpose of this arrangement is to provide adequate circulation within the container so as to maintain any solid undissolved material in a state of agitation, and also to establish a high velocity jet of liquid adjacent the surface of the filter to prevent the accumulation of particles of solid material in that area which would otherwise tend to interfere with flow through the filter apertures.

The several features of the present invention will be analysed in detail through a discussion of the particular embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

Figure 1 presents an elevation, partially in section, of a device embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of the device shown in Figure 1, with a portion of the cover unit broken away to show the arrangement of the components in the interior. The broken section plane 11 of Figure 2 indicates the manner in which Figure 1 is represented.

Figure 3 shows a section on the plane 3-3 of Figure l, with a portion of the inlet conduit broken away to conserve space.

eferring to the drawings, a container is provided with a removable cover unit 11. Hinged latching means 12a, 12b, and 120 are spaced at intervals around its periphery. The members are of conventional design, and each include a bolt 12d pivotally connected to the container. A wing nut cooperating with each bolt bears on the cover 11 when the nut is tightened, and radial slots in the edge of the cover permit the bolts to be swung to holding position. In the event that the container 10 is constructed of sheet metal, as shown in the drawings, a split ring 13 may be provided adjacent the upper extremity, with this member providing a base from which the latching means 12a, 12b, and 120 may apply holding force to the cover 11.

An outlet conduit 14 includes the manually-controlled valve unit 15 and is securely mounted on the cover 11 where it intersects that member with the short threaded length of pipe 16. The inner end of the outlet conduit 14 terminates in the filter unit 17, the details of construction of which are best shown in Figure 3. The filtering action is provided by a substantially cylindrical member 18 having a series of closely-spaced slits of sufiicient narrowness to bar the passage of solid matter of a selected size. An end-plate 19 closes oil the lower end of this cylindrical member, and a bar 20 maintains the end-plate and the cylindrical member 18 in assembled relationship with the head fitting 21 secured to the pipe section 16.

The inlet conduit 22 is similarly secured to the cover 11 at. the pipe section 23. The inlet conduit is provided with a one-way valve unit 24 having the function of restricting the flow through the inlet conduit to that of the arrow shown in Figure 1. An extension pipe 25 continues on beyond the directional valve unit 24; and the lower nozzle 26 is mounted on the pipe as shown, disposed to direct a jet of liquid in the general direction of the bottom 27 of the container. The preferred direction of this jet is indicated by the arrow 28, but it is not necessary that the jet assume the direction of an exact normal to the bottom surface.

A second nozzle 29 is pointed upwardly in the direction of the arrow 30, the purpose of this orientation being toestablish a high-velocity flow in close proximity to the surface of the cylindrical filter member 18. The fiow of liquid into the filter will have a tendency to accumulate particles of undissolved material around the periphery, and to thereby clog the openings of the filter so as to interfere with the flow therethrough. The presence of the circulation established by the jet 29 will serve to dislodge any such particles and maintain the filter 18 in the unobstructed condition. Reference to Figure 2 will indicate a preferred relationship between the jet established by the nozzle 29 and the filter member 18, and it will be noted that the axis of the jet is directed substantially along a line forming an element of the cylindrical surface of the member 18.

It is preferable that the inlet conduit 22 and the outlet conduit 14 be connected with a by-pass conduit 31, this conduit being provided with a control valve 32. Manipulation of the valves 15 and 32 will proportion the amount of flow passing through the interior of the container and through the by-pass conduit 31. This adjustment will therefor establish the degree of concentration of solution passing through the outlet conduit 14.

' Preferably, a pressure indicator 33 is provided in the container for purposes of safety, and a hook-shaped handle unit generally indicated at 34 is included to form a handy means of positioning the cover assembly (which includes the conduit and valve system). Prior to actually using the device, the cover assembly is removed so as to permit insertion of the material to be dissolved Within the container 10. Replacement of the cover and securing of the latches 12a, 12b, and then places the unit in condition for the application of whatever hoses are to be associated with the inlet and outlet lines 22 and 14. The valves 15 and 32 should then be adjusted to give the desired solution concentration, and the device is ready for use. it will be found that the circulation maintained within the interior by the arrangement of the nozzles 26 and 29, and the maintenance of the filter unit in a free condition by its relationship with the nozzle 29, will result in the device maintaining a uniform flow at constant concentration until the entire amount of dissolvable material has been consumed.

The particular embodiments of the present invention which have been illustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claims, it is my intent to claim the entire invention disclosed herein, except as I am limited by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A solution dispenser, comprising: container means; removable cover means for said container; locking means for securing said cover means to said container; outlet conduit means secured to said cover means and communicating with the interior of said container; filter means connected to the inner end of said outlet conduit means and disposed within said container; inlet conduit means secured to said cover means and communicating with the interior of said container; first nozzle means connected to said inlet conduit means adjacent the inner end thereof and disposed to direct a jet at the bottom of said container; second nozzle means connected to said inlet conduit means adjacent the inner end thereof and disposed to direct a jet to pass in close proximity to said filter means; one-way valve means disposed in said inlet conduit means to determine the direction of flow therein; by-pass conduit means connecting said inlet and outlet conduit means independently of the contents of said container; and control valve means'in at least one of either said inlet or outlet conduit means, and also in said bypass conduit means.

2. A solution dispenser, comprising: container means; removable cover means for said container; locking means for securing said cover means to said container; outlet conduit means secured to said cover means and communicating with the interior of said container; filter means connected to the inner end of said outlet conduit means and disposed Within said container; inlet conduit means secured to said cover means and communicating with the interior of said container; first nozzle means connected to said inlet conduit means adjacent the inner end thereof and disposed to direct a jet at the bottom of said container; second nozzle means connected to said inlet conduit means adjacent the inner end thereof and disposed to direct a jet to pass in close proximity to said filter means; by-pass conduit means connecting said inlet and outlet conduit means independently of the contents of said container; and control valve means in at least one of either said inlet or outlet conduit means, and also in said by-pass conduit means.

3. A solution dispenser, comprising: container means; removable cover means for said container; locking means for securing said cover means to said container; outlet conduit means secured to said cover means and communicating with the interior of said container; filter means connected to the inner end of said outlet conduit means and disposed within said container; inlet conduit means secured to said cover means and communicating with the interior of said container; first nozzle means connected to said inlet conduit means adjacent the inner end thereof and disposed to direct a jet at the bottom of said container; and second nozzle means connected to said inlet conduit means adjacent the inner end thereof and disposed to direct a jet to pass in close proximity to said filter means.

4. A solution dispenser, comprising: container means; outlet conduit means communicating with the interior of said container; filter means connected to the inner end of said outlet conduit means and disposed within said container; inlet conduit means communicating with the interior of said container; first nozzle means connected to .said inlet conduit means adjacent the inner end thereof and disposed to direct a jet at the bottom of said container; and second nozzle means connected to said inlet conduit means adjacent the inner end thereof and disposed to direct a jet to pass .in close proximity to said filter means.

5. A solution dispenser, comprising: container means; outlet conduit means communicating with the interior of said container; substantially cylindrical filter means connected to the inner end of said outlet conduit means and disposed Within said container; inlet conduit means secured to said cover means and communicating with the interior of said container; and nozzle means connected to said inlet conduit means adjacent the inner end thereof and disposed to direct a jet having an axis disposed substantially along a line forming an element of said cylindrical filter means. 7

6. A solution dispenser, comprising: container means; outlet conduit means communicating with the interior of said container; elongated filter means connected to the inner end of said outlet conduit means and disposed within said container; inlet conduit means communicating with the interior of said container; and nozzle means connected tosaid inlet conduit means adjacent the inner end thereof and disposed to direct a jet to pass in close proximity to said filter means substantially parallel to the length thereof.'

7. A solution dispenser, comprising: container means; outlet conduit means communicating with the interior of said container; filter means connected to the inner end of said outlet conduit means and disposed within said container; inlet conduit means communicating with the interior of said container; and nozzle means connected to said inletconduit means adjacent the inner end thereof and disposed to direct a jet to pass in close proximity to said filter means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A SOLUTION DISPENSER, COMPRISING: CONTAINER MEANS; REMOVABLE COVER MEANS FOR SAID CONTAINER; LOCKING MEANS FOR SECURING SAID COVER MEANS TO SAID CONTAINER; OUTLET CONDUIT MEANS SECURED TO SAID COVER MEANS AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER; FILTER MEANS CONNECTED TO THE INNER END OF SAID OUTLET CONDUIT MEANS AND DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CONTAINER; INLET CONDIUT MEANS SECURED TO SAID COVER MEANS AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER; FIRST NOZZLE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID INLET CONDUIT MEANS ADJACENT THE INNER END THEREOF AND DISPOSED TO DIRECT A JET AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID CONTAINER; SECOND NOZZLE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID INLET CONDUIT MEANS ADJACENT THE INNER END THEREOF AND 